Dungeons and Dragons Level 20 Class Tier List

In Dungeons and Dragons, few choices are as important as a character’s class. Each one has their own ways of navigating the three pillars of TTRPG play: combat, exploration, and social interactions. Though few Dungeons and Dragons campaigns take characters all the way to level 20, those who reach these heights become true paragons and heroes, able to defeat dangerous foes, shrug off deadly attacks, or even bend the rules of reality itself.

However, not all classes in Dungeons and Dragons were created equally — and by the time they reach max level, this disparity becomes even more evident. While fans can rise to the challenge as any class in the game, some choices have a much easier time dominating both on and off the battlefield than others. Here’s how the classes in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition 2024 stack up against one another:

S-Tier: Aura Farming and Wish Casting

• Bard
• Paladin
• Sorcerer
• Wizard

It is no exaggeration to say that spellcasters are overpowered in Dungeons and Dragons, and access to 9th-level spells only serves to widen that gap. There are countless powerful spells in the game, but Wish is perhaps the most game-breaking. Bypassing casting times, material components, and spell list restrictions, Wish can turn the tide of any fight by summoning a massive Tsunami, instantly bringing back an ally with Resurrection, creating a free Simulacrum or Clone, or even granting the entire party a Short Rest mid-combat with Prayer of Healing. Needless to say, every full caster who can get Wish — Bard, Sorcerer, and Wizard easily earns their spot in S-Tier.

Bards continue to be the star of the show. They can cherry-pick the best spells in the game, all while having skill bonuses comparable to Rogue, and Bardic Inspirations to hand out to all of their friends, all before even considering Subclass features. Meanwhile, the Sorcerer in D&D 2024 makes up for its more limited spell choice options with Metamagic, as well as the new Innate Sorcery ability, to become exceptionally potent. Were that not enough, they are also both Charisma casters, meaning both are great at the social pillar of D&D as well.

Wizards may not have gotten as many new toys in the Dungeons and Dragons 2024 rules as many other classes, but that is simply because they didn’t need any. With the largest spell list in the game, D&D Wizards have a tool for every occasion in their Spellbook — so long as they have a Dungeon Master who is not overly stingy with spell scrolls and gold.

The Paladin is an anomaly at this tier, as it is only a half caster who does not get access to Wish. That said, Aura of Protection alone makes the Paladin a must-have in any group. A +5 bonus to all saving throws for the entire party is a life-saver when facing the most powerful enemies in the Monster Manual, who can have DCs as high as 27. Though Dungeons and Dragons 2024 reduced the Paladin’s burst damage potential through nerfs to Divine Smite, the class still manages to secure S-Tier through party utility and their transformative subclass capstone ability that only comes into play at level 20.

A-Tier: Wisdom Spellcasters and Comeback Kids

• Cleric
• Druid
• Fighter
• Monk

Both Clerics and Druids are full casters, meaning they have access to some truly game-changing spells, even if they don’t get Wish normally. A Cleric’s well-placed Mass Heal can completely undo a dastardly foe’s devastating offensive, while a Druid’s Shapechange can tip the scales with powerful monster abilities like a Dragon’s breath. Clerics in Dungeons and Dragons 2024 can also gain limited access to the Wish spell via Greater Divine Intervention (or permanent access if they are Arcana domain), and Druids can become staggeringly durable with smart use of Wild Shape, especially Circle of the Moon. Both are also Wisdom casters, meaning critical skills like Perception and Insight will be excellent.

In the original 5th Edition, Fighters would not have been anywhere close to A-Tier, but 2024 was very good to them. Abilities like Tactical Mind let them keep up with skill checks, while their new and improved Indomitable lets them save against debilitating spells and effects that would otherwise be an automatic failure. The ability to do a whopping eight attacks in a round twice per Short Rest means the Fighter in Dungeons and Dragons 2024 will always be a threat, especially when combined with Weapon Mastery.

The Monk is also in a similar boat. The fast and furious martial artist lacked the juice to make it into A-Tier before, but now that Stunning Strike grants a debilitating debuff on a successful save, not even a Legendary Resistance can completely spoil their fun. However, what really makes the Monk shine in D&D 2024 is the +4 bonus to Dexterity and Wisdom at level 20. Granting them an AC likely no less than 24, a max-level monk can dodge blows easier than most plate-wearing, shield-wielding Paladins and Fighters.

B-Tier: Solid Classes With a Few Flaws

The Artificer, recently reprinted in Eberron: Forge of the Artificer, can load themselves and their party with magic items, meeting their party’s specific needs. What’s more, the improvements to Spell-Storing Items mean players can turn their Homunculus Servant into a mobile Haste, Slow, or Fireball dispenser, providing consistent damage, buffs, debuffs, and ways to cheat out multiple concentration spells at once. That said, the Artificer lacks a little bit of the oomph to keep up with their full-casting brethren, even with powerful tools like Flash of Genius and Soul of Artifice in their pockets. What’s more, most of the Artificer subclasses in Dungeons and Dragons besides Battle Smith are a little lackluster.

The Psion is a curious class that lets players fulfill some interesting niches, including telekinesis, telepathy, body mutation, and teleportation. However, while it has a lot of unique tricks, the spell list for the Psion is a bit more limited than the Bard or Wizard, and its Psionic Disciplines aren’t quite as good as the Sorcerer’s Metamagic. That said, the Psion class has only appeared in Dungeons and Dragons Unearthed Arcana so far, and is not officially out yet, so it could end up higher on this list if it gets buffed before it is published.

Of all the classes in the game, Warlocks in Dungeons and Dragons are perhaps the most modular and interestingly designed. Their ability to regain spells after a short rest means they always have more in the tank, especially with the ability to regain their slots faster once a day via Eldritch Master. However, their lack of versatility with 6+ level spells, a limited spell list, and poor scaling at high levels makes mono-class Warlocks struggle a bit to keep up with the other casters. It is for this reason that Warlock ends up being a common multiclass dip, rather than one taken all the way to 20.

C-Tier: Masters of Their Craft With Glaring Weaknesses

Barbarians in Dungeons and Dragons are terrors on the battlefield, especially at level 20. With 24 Strength and Constitution, anything they can get their hands on will be torn to pieces with high attack and damage bonuses, and their massive hit point pools will absorb almost anything that comes their way. But, therein lies the problem: they must get their hands on the enemy. With no good ranged options, poor Wisdom and Intelligence saving throws, and limited skill versatility, Barbarians have some glaring weaknesses that keep them in C-Tier. They are one-trick pony — though they arguably perform that trick better than anyone else.

Rogues suffer from an inverse problem. The best of the best with skills, every Dungeons and Dragons party wants a Rogue when it’s time to make ability checks. What’s more, defensive options with Evasion and Uncanny Dodge are life-saving, and Stroke of Luck’s guaranteed natural 20 once per Short Rest is absurd, especially when combined with Sneak Attack. That said, a Rogue’s lack of AoE makes them struggle in larger combats with multiple foes, and their only innate debuff utility comes at the cost of Sneak Attack dice — their main source of damage. Classes like the Bard or Fighter might not be as good as the Rogue at what they do, but they won’t have as many weaknesses while doing it.

D-Tier: The Most Unfortunate Class In Dungeons and Dragons

Image via Wizards of the Coast

Alas, poor Ranger. Lauded as the worst class in the original 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons, the Ranger has definitely seen some improvements in the 2024 rules refresh. However, the overemphasis on Hunter’s Mark is as much a bane as it is a boon. The spell still requires concentration, even if it can’t be broken by damage at high levels. This means powerful concentration spells like Swift Quiver are effectively useless, as they prevent a Ranger from using several class features, including Favored Enemy, Precise Hunter, and even the Foe Slayer capstone. It may be better than it was before, especially with excellent improvements to its subclasses, but this critical design flaw means the D&D 2024 Ranger has still found itself at the bottom of the list.

Franchise

Dungeons & Dragons

Original Release Date

1974

Designer

E. Gary Gygax, Dave Arneson